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Travel Immunization Advice

Traveling to other countries is fun, especially if done with your family or friends. However,traveling abroad also increases the risk of getting infectious diseases. The vaccination before a trip will reduce the risk of illness, and the spread of an infectious disease in the community. Make sure to follow our travel health advice in order to have a safe journey.

Consult your doctor first

Before leaving on a trip you must be informed if your destination requires certain vaccines. Doctors or specialists in this field will tell you what types of vaccines you need. You should also look for holiday health tips specific for the destination where you plan on traveling. This will tell you what foods to avoid when visiting a certain place or what type of clothes to buy, depending on local weather.
At the same time, you should offer complete information regarding your health to your doctor: if you have chronic illnesses that affect the immune status of HIV / AIDS or diabetes, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, etc.
You also need to be informed about the additional protection measures if you’re traveling with children.
Do not forget to plan vaccinations at least 3-4 weeks before traveling and to speak with an epidemiologist about your plans for the holiday,what country you wish to visit, etc so he can recommend you the most suitable travel health advice.
It is very important that you consult your family doctor who can provide you with accurate holiday health tips about the vaccinations needed depending on the country you are traveling. It is also important to inform your doctor if you suffer from a disease, if you take a certain medication,etc.

Mandatory vaccines for traveling

If you visit certain parts of Africa or South America, you will definitely need yellow fever vaccine (you will be asked for your vaccination certificate on your arrival in the country). People visiting Arica or South America often come back with typhoid fever, acute hepatitis type A and polio (a severe infectious disease, caused by polioviruses).
On the other hand, if you go in Saudi Arabia, you will need immunization against meningococcal meningitis. If you visit tropical and subtropical areas, you need to have a vaccine against diphtheria.
The most common recommended vaccines when planning a holiday in a underdeveloped country include those that protects you from:
– Hepatitis A
– Hepatitis B
– Yellow fever
– Meningococcal
– Rabies
– Japanese Encephalitis.

Research about the contraindications and precautions

In general, contraindications and precautions to vaccination dictate when vaccines should not be given. Most contraindications and precautions are temporary, and the vaccines can be done at a later date.
A contraindication is a condition that significantly increases the chance of an adverse reaction. If the vaccine was administered in the presence of that disease, it may cause serious adverse reaction.
For example, the administration of influenza(flu) vaccine in a person with known anaphylactic reaction to eggs could cause serious illness or death. In general, vaccines should not be given when there is a contraindication.
Caution is similar to contraindication. Caution is a condition in a receiver that may increase the chance of development of a serious adverse reaction, or could compromise the ability of the vaccine to help the immunity system.
Diseases results could be serious, but the chance of encountering a situation like this is less possible than with a contraindication. In general, vaccines are delayed when a condition requires precaution.